Air compressor



July 3 1928.

T. A. MATHEWS AIR COMPRESSOR Filed Feb. 8, 1927 2l Sheets-Sheet l /Yalzz/s.

July 3, 1928.

T. A. MATHEWS Aln'colyarnssson .Filed Feb. s, 1927 2 -Sheet-Sheet 2 Inventor Patented July 3, 1928,.

`UNITED siaras THEODORE A. MATHEWS, or WASHINGTON, PENNSYLVANIAy-ASSIGNOR 0F FORTYPER CENT To FRED D. JOHNSON AND W.'N. BUTLER;y TRUSTEES, BOTH 0F WAsH1NGT`o`N,

PENNSYLVANIA.

AIR coiitfrrmssoa.

Application-med February s, 192'?. serial No. 16am-tj This invention relates. to `new anduseful improvements in air compressing machines,

and A.has lfor its primary object to provide an. extremely novel and relatively simple but` eficient/me'chanism whereinfa' large supply of .compressed air maybe provided', andthis without requiring an unusual amount of powerl in the operatingl of thejrmechanisni.A

A further Aandmost important Objectis to providesuch avdeviceithat includes a plurality of air compressor pumps, the pistons ofi which arefactuated to compressing position bytherolling of ywheels of arotating unit overmeans-directlyassociated with lthe f rodsrof the piston.' Y

With thefforegoing an'd'lotherobjects in, view as the nat-ure ofthe invention will. be`

better understood, the same comprises the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts: hereinafterI morev fully described, shown in the accompanying drawingsand Cllin'led." Y v* l Inl the-drawing wherein like reference characters f indicate .corresponding parts through the:seve'ralviews: r g A* Figure 1 is a detailverticalf section of my improved. air compressing device'.-

Figure-:2 is ai top plan View thereof.

Figure 3"-is ahorizontal section taken sub1 st-antially upon thefline 3-3 ofFigure 1, andsI .u

Figure 4' is an enlarged.fragmentaryvview partlyinicross section-disclosing one ofthe compressing units.; Y i

Now having-particular reference to the drawings, my air compressor consists of aV relatively ylarge capacity air tank' 5 within the center of which is .-a vertical 'tube through-which is extended a rotating shaft 7 suitably journaled within the ends of the tube as indicated in Figure 1. The lower end of this shaft 7 is equipped witha gear 8 in mesh with gear Y9 upon one end of a horif. Y

zont-al power shaft 10 that is operatively connected,` to the shaft ofva suitable engine 11.,

Arranged eircumferentially around the tank 5 in spacedconcentric relation there with-and adjacent vthe upper end thereof .is

, a flanged wheel'track12-f0rmed vto `provide a pluralityof planefsurfaces as more clearly disclosed'inthe .top plan view of Figure 2.

The upper end of the shaft 7 extends con-r siderablybeyond the-tank 5 and,A at apoint 'spacediabove the'top yof the` tank, said shaft is of Vsquareshape, as disclosed in Figure 1.`

Loosely slidable upon the shaft beneath the f 'squareden'dl thereof is ar collar 13. formed at its periphery with radiating pairs of spaced ears 111.` Projecting between theseears are the inner flat-tened ends of axle bars 15, preferably 'four in number. The extreme inner ends of which carry cross pins 16, theV ends" ofwhichare slida-blein longitudinalslots 17 in said ears.V vRigidlyy secured tothefsquared portion of the shaft7 is a central collar`l` 18 of a spider 19 that consistsofa pair of cross` arms, therouter ends of which areextended directly downwardly as at 20. A `universal connection 21 is provided between the down turned ends of said cross arms of the spider 19 at the ends of said non-rotating axle bars 15.V yupon which are rotatably mountedA langedwheels 22 fortengagement upon4 the previouslymentioned wheel track-'12. Slidable upon the squared portion of the shaft.y

17 beneath the rigidly attached collar 18 and the Sndingeonar 1s is a heavy Weight 23, .y

while` arranged around the shaft betweenthe weight y and the lower lcollar 17 ,isy an -efX-` pansible` coil spring 24. Extending upwardly from opposedl points of this weight 237are Vlinks 24 that-are movable within slots A25 of "two opposedarms of the yspider 19. The upper `4ends of these links124 are pivotally con-. .L

nected to levers 26'26, the innerends of which are pivoted to the upperend of the vcollar 418 of saidspiderwhile adjustablyarranged thereon aregovernor weights 2.7-27.

Obviously thepurpose of this construction is,

tocausey theweight--23 to force the spring 24 againstthe collar 13 for swinging the inner ends of the axle bars 15 ina downward directlonso vthat-'pressure will be applied to the wheels 22 so that theysame will positively hug the track 12 during the rotation of the saine upon the'track.v t

Alsogarranged around the tank 5 beneath the 'trac-k 12 is a metallic ring 28 forthe pur- `pose o f providing1 a circumferentiall shelf.

ounted uponthis shelfis a plurality of air compressorl cylinders 2.9"of 'a number complementa-ryy to the number of plane surfaces of the track 12.` Rectilinearly movable withf in each'cylind'er 29 is'avpiston 30, while leading `from theY bottom of eachc'ylindxerv is" an exhaust pipe 31 inassociat-ion with which is an inlet and exhaust checkkvalve 32 and ,33,1L respectively, the exhaust check valve 32 openby the disclosure in Figure l.

connected to this disc and the lower end of ing into the interior of the tank as clearly disclosed in Figure 1.

the track 'l2 of the center thereof is a verticalguide plate 34 within which is slidably mounted a piston actuating plate 35, the up-v per edge of which is tapered as clearly disinally projects above the edge of the rail 1Q so as to be encountered by the Vwheels 22 Vas the samepass thereover. The lower end of "each plate 35 isoperatively connected tothe respective piston rod 36 :of the iston 30. Fincircling each rod between thel cy inder and the plate is an expansible coil spring 37 yfor ,the purpose of returning the plate 35 to the position disclosed in Figure'ff, after the same y. has been depressed byy the action of the wheels passing tliereover. f Each plate 35 is formedwith ya longitudinal slot v39through'which projects a pin 40 and upon Vthe outer end of which is mounted lal counterbalancing y'disc 441' suitably weighted at one point as generally suggested Eccentrically theV wheel actuatedlplatel 35 is a,j'iitinana?J` for causingthe rotation ofthe disc during the reverse movement of the plate 35, the same being for the purpose of lcount'er'balancing the action ofthe plate during its operation.

considered in conjunction with the-accom panying drawings it will at once vbefapparent that I have provided a highly novel, simple, and efficient air compressor that is well adapted for all the purposes heretofore des- Y ignated,v even though I have herein shown and described. the invention as consisting of certain detail structural elements, itis nevertheless to be understood-that some changes' may be made therein'Without'effecting the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus' described the invention, what I claim iszi' u f l. Inl an air compressor of the character described,'a closed storage tank, a plurality of airconipressor pumpsarranged around 'to depress `the pump piston, means for returningthe piston, a drive shaft operatively connected with saidwheels extending con- 2. In an air compressor', a closed storage tank, a' trackv rail varranged circumferentially` around1 the tank and supported thereby, a

- plurality of air compressor pumps also ar- Rigidly secured to each plane surface ofy closed in Figure 4, which tapered edge nor-k y plurality VIn view of the foregoing description-'when said pumps having com-v centrically through fthe tank. and ,drivel j means for said shaft remote from the tank.

ranged around thev tank beneath said rail and having communication with the interior of the tank, said 'pumps including vertically projecting piston rods, means attached'rto' thc upper-ends of theurods for engagementV slightly above the upperY of theftrack, means for normally maintaining said n'ieans in such position, and a rotating'unit 'i'ncluding wheels for engagement upon the track and for engagement with the pump rod associated means 'for depressing the pump piston each time the wheels pass thereover,

automatic means for returning the pumppisZ i tons to initial position,andineans for causing the rotation of said unit.

3. In an air compressor, a closed storage tank, atrack rail arranged circumferentially around the tank-and supported thereby, a

ranged varound the tank beneath said'` rail.

of Y air compressor pumps.I also and Vhaving communication with the interior jof the tank, said pumps'including verticallym c projecting piston rods, means Yattached to the1V i upper ends of the-rods slightly above the'upper edgeA of the track,

Vin such position, anda rotating unit includforl engagement- V9() means for normally maintaining saidmeans ing wheels for engagement upon thetiackajy and for engagement with the pump rodV associated means for depressingthe-pump piston each time the wheels pass thereover,

automatic meansl for returning the pump.

pistons to initial position, means for causingV thek rotation of said' unit,l and governor operatively connected to saidunit adapted to engagement with the track.

a track arranged vthereabout, wheelsadaptedV 'to travel on the track,:a driveshaft extend:

ring vertically through the tank', 'aXle's Afor.V Y ,the wheels extending radially thereof, oper-f` ating means 'for the shaft,` aplurality `of pumps operativelyengaged by the wheels,- a Y weight. resiliently supported at the upper end of the shaft adapted to have its force distributedl to the wheels and agigovernor.V controlling the distribution of the weightl with respect thereto.

5. In combination, an air compressor' tank, a track arranged thereabout, Ywheels adapted to travel onthe t-rack,'a drive shaft extending vertically through the tank,

axles Vicc automatically force-the wheelsfinto"positive4A 4. In combinat'on, an air compressor tank,

for the Wheels extending radially. thereofg` operating means-for the shaft, a'plurality of pumps "operatively engaged by the' wheels, a Weight resilien'tlysupported at the k'upper end ofl the' shaft -adaptedto have its force distributed to thewheels,` afg'overnor-con-.f

nected with the weight andthe wheels. adapted to control the ldistribut-ion of the weight thereon 'and means for adj usting I the lgov I ernor.

6. In combination, an air compressor' tank, a circular track supported therebyland` .n e .1,675,457 i extending thereabout, Wheels adapted to travel on the trank, a shaft extending vertically through the tank, axlestfor thewheels extending radially therefrom and operatively connected to theupper end of said shaft, a Weight foi-the Wheels adapted to insure the positive engagement thereof with the rails, a governor adapted to control the force applied by the Weight,a plurality vot' pumps carried by the tank and havingkcongageable by the Wheels for operation thereof and'drive means for the shaft connected to the lower end thereof.

Y' In Vtestimony whereof I aix my signature. Y

- `rTHEoDoRa AMATHEWs. 

